Healthy Woman program offers women access to education, services

Women experience a number of life-changing events as they age. There might be new children, the ending of old careers and the start of retirement. Add in the everyday routine, a career, family and friends and, at times, it may be hard to keep things straight.

To help women in the Golden Crescent living healthy and successful lives, Yvette Peuttus has continued to build the Healthy Woman program, at DeTar Healthcare System, to keep women informed about their health and what services the community offers.

"Everyone wants to be educated and learn something. That's why we didn't want to put a cap on (age)," Peuttus, program coordinator, said. "We want to promote a healthy mind, spirit and body."

Healthy Woman caters to all ages - from 20-somethings to older generations. It teaches its members about health and important well-being decisions through free monthly seminars that focus on topics, including estrogen, prevention tips and current medical procedures as well as topics for their children and spouses.

"There is so much about the medical field that can change or that people don't know about," she said. "We give information about how they can live longer, ways to take care of ourselves and our families."

Lynda Parma, of Victoria, was introduced to Healthy Woman by friend and co-worker Dorothy Mikulenka.

The seminars that cover heart disease hit close to home for Parma, because she lost her grandfather, cousins and her mother to heart disease. To learn more about the signs and symptoms of heart disease, she attends every seminar that covers the topic.

Every February, for National Heart Month, the program invites area cardiologists to talk to members about heart disease.

"This is probably the best I have personally felt in years, trying to be more healthy and exercise," she said. "The topics are very motivational."

She also uses the Healthy Woman website to find recipes to cook at home. Recipes vary from diabetes menus, to help lowering cholesterol, to desserts and high-fiber recipes.

The program is a free online service that includes a monthly newsletter and seminars for its members. The newsletter may include information ranging from bug bites in the summer to product recalls and tips for a healthier life.

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Interested in Healthy Woman?

To enroll in the Healthy Woman program, visit detar.com/healthywoman, and click on the link to become a member. For questions about the program, call Yvette Peuttus at 361-788-6096.